Reptiles of Eaton Canyon

It's amazing to think that a foot traffic-heavy trail wedged into northern Pasadena can still have so much biodiversity. Simply in my own travels throughout the canyon, I have been witness to a number of species I was not aware lived so close to our sterile and innocuous cookie-cutter suburban neighborhoods.

Tiger Whiptail(Cnemidophorous tigris) Tiger Whiptails are a common sight in Eaton Canyon, and seem to be in a perpetual hurry, darting across the path and into the bushes.

Southern Alligator Lizard(Elegaria multicarinatus). I only saw one of these guys, and apparently they are not afraid to bite, perhaps the origin of their common name.

Western Fence Lizard(Sceloporus occidentalis). These guys are everywhere! They have a bright blue belly, and the males can often be seen doing "push-up contests" to impress potential mates.

Western Rattlesnake(Crotalus viridis) Another species more common than I anticipated. Apparently, the rattlesnake's warning rattle has worked against the species in the last few centuries: because the snakes that rattled to make their presence aware were killed by humans, those that remained(and passed on their genes) were the rattlesnakes that did not rattle. This individual was young, and did not rattle, although I suspect that the rattle is something that is not present from hatching. Or it could be one of the aforementioned non-rattlers.